Control device for feed tubes



March 28, 1944. M HQUK I CONTROL DEVICE FOR'FEED TUBES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb, 27, 1942 n I P M INVENTOR 44mm EDWARD f/ OUk March 28, 1944. M. a HOUK CONTROL DEVICE FOR FEED TUBES Filed Feb.. 27. 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 444mm [aw/W0 N by Z 6 his Afihmey M 28, 1944. 5 HOUK 2,345,395

CONTROL DEVICE FOR FEED TUBES FilQd Feb. 27, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 rugs.

Patented Mar. 28, 1944 CONTROL DEVICE FOR FEED TUBES Mansel Edward Honk, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application February 27, 1942, Serial No. 432,648

2 Claims.

This invention relates to feed tubes such as are used in branning machines, and more particularly to a control device therefor.

In the manufacture of tin-plated sheet or strip steel the oil and other impurities remaining on the surfaces thereof are removed by scrubbing them with a medium which is absorbent as well as mildly abrasive. Bran is the most widely used medium. In a conventional branning machine, the bran is raised from a sump by means of an endless bucket conveyor, to elevated tubes which extend horizontally over the entry end of a series of power-driven scrubbing rolls. One of these elevated tubes terminates at a position on one side of the transverse center-line of the rolls, While the other elevated tube terminates on the other side of said center-line. Each of these tubes has a bottom dispensing opening adjacent its outer end, and contains a power-driven screw conveyor which moves the bran along the tube and out of its dispensing opening. In this manner bran is supplied to two positions, one on either side of the transverse center-line of the scrubbing rolls, thereby enabling better distribution. During the operation of these branning machines, it frequently becomes necessary to decrease the size of the dispensing openings in the bottoms of the ends of the elevated tubes, and this is done by means of a pair of collars which telescope over each of the said tubes and permit of relative adjustment one with respect to the other. In opening or closing the dispensing apertures by means of the collars described immediately hereinbefore, workmen have become seriously injured by their fingers coming in contact with the screw conveyors within the tubes.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a control device for the feed tubes of the class described which is remotely actuated.

Another object is the provision of a simple and inexpensive combination of elements for the purpose stated.

The invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and as particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being indicative of one of the number of ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan of a branning machine showing, in association with the feed tubes thereof, the control device of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the showing of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the control device showing certain parts thereof in section.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line IV-IV of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 2 generally designates a branning machine which is in most respects of conventional design, as will appear more fully hereinafter.

The branning machine 2 comprises a series of upper and lower power-driven horizontally-disposed scrubbing rolls 3. According to conventional practice, some of these rolls are driven at slower speeds than others, whereby a scrubbing action is obtained on the sheet or strip passing therebetween.

Immediately below the rolls 3, the branning machine '2 embodies a hopper 5 which is filled with bran. Within this hopper 5 is a lower power-driven screw conveyor 1 which moves the bran out of the hopper and into a lower bin 8. From the lower bin 8 the branis elevated by means of a power-driven bucket conveyor I 0 having the usual buckets H. Associated with the upper end of the bucket conveyor 10 is a pair of feed tubes l2 and [3 which extend horizontally over the entry end of the rolls 3, and in substantial parallelism therewith, each feed tube being adapted to receive at one of its ends bran from the buckets ll of the bucket conveyor Ill. The feed tube [2 terminates short of the transverse center line of the rolls 3, while the feed tube I3 extends beyond the opposite ends of the said rolls.

The feed tubes I2 and i3 have bottom dispensing apertures adjacent their ends, as shown at l4 and I5 respectively. Thus the feed tubes I2 and [3 together provide two dispensing apertures in locations which are about evenly spaced with respect to the ends of the rolls 3 and with respect to each other.

Within each of the feed tubes I2 and i3 is a power-driven screw conveyor, as shown at I! and I 8 respectively.

It will be perceived that the foregoing associated instrumentalities provide a steady flow of bran from the bottom of the hopper 5 to evenly spaced Positions on the entering rolls 3 of the branning machine, and that this bran, in combination with the scrubbing eflect provided by the rolls 3, permits the cleaning of sheet and strip passing therethrough in such manner as to remove oil and other impurities from the surfaces thereof. It will be understood, however,

2, that the instrumentalities thus far discussed are conventional, and as such form no part of the present invention.

As pointed out hereinbefore, it is necessary to provide for the regulation of the amount of bran being dispensed through the dispensing apertures I4 and I5. According to the practice of the prior art, this has been accommodated by means of apair of collars 2B and 2| on. each of the feed tubes 12 and I3 respectively' By regulating these collars 20 and 2| with respect to each other and also with respect to the dispensing aperture of the tube on which they are carried, the feed of the bran may be adjusted to the extent desired. However, the screws l1 and I8 within the feed tubes l2 and I3 have been known to effect serious injury to workmen whose fingers come in contact therewith during the adjustment of the collars.

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is provided remotely controlled means for sliding these collars into the. desired adjusted position. More specifically, each feed tube, in proximity to its dispensing apertures, is provided with a pair of spaced upright supports 26 which are welded to the tube as shown at 21. Each of these supports 26 carries in elevated position a elevis 28. These clevises 28 are in line with each other, and each receives and pivotally mounts the mid-portion of a vertically-extending lever 29. Each of the vertically-extending levers 29 carries on its lower end a bifurcated yoke 30 which partially embraces one of the collars 20 or 2|. The ends of the bifurcations of the yokes 30 are recessed as at 3|, to receive pins 32 which are carried by the said collars. Pivotally connected to the upper end of each of the vertically-extending levers 29 is a horizontally-extending lever 35 which extends outwardly to beyond one of the ends of the rolls 3, and each carries on its extended end thereof a handle 36. These levers 35 all extend through a plate 38, and provide on their lower ends ratchet teeth 39, whereby the levers, due to the vibration of the branning machine 2, will not assume changed positions.

The ready accessibility of the handles 36 permits the horizontal sliding of the levers 35 in such manner as to pivotally move the verticallyextending levers 29 on their supports 26, and due to the movements of the yokes 30 which connect with the collars 20 and 2| through the pins 32, enables the collars to slide with respect to the dispensing apertures I4 and Hi from the remote position aforesaid.

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment of the present invention, it will be Seen that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A control device for a feed tube having a dispensing aperture, comprising a sleeve adapted to telescope over said feed tube and at least partially close the dispensing aperture therein, a yoke connected to said sleeve, means carried by said tube for fulcruming said yoke, and means for moving said yoke whereby said sleeve is adjusted with respect to the dispensing aperture in said feed tube.

2. A control device for a feed tube for feeding bran to the rolls of a branner, said feed tube having a dispensing aperture, comprising a sleeve adapted to telescope over said feed tube and at least partially close the dispensing aperture therein, a yoke connected to said sleeve, and means for moving said yoke whereby said sleeve is adjusted with respect to the dispensing aper-' ture in said feed tube, said means extending beyond one of the ends of the rolls.

MANSEL EDWARD HOUK. 

